Eighth Grade

Place date before each entry under each question.
  • Where are you on your long-range plans, pacing, and content standards?
8/26 We are all teaching students the foundations: The Writing Process and The Elements of Plot. Students have composed an Autobiographical Poem and have read a short story to demonstrate their understanding of these.
9/2 Students have begun their memoirs. They are using the writing process to compose this first major essay. Students are using the Showing/not Telling techniques for this assignment. They are also connecting the information from the plot line to their writing so they see the literature/writing connection. Many students created plot lines as part of their pre-writing.
9/9 Students are finishing memoirs. We continue to reinforce the use of the writing process. We are continuing to study the elements of plot through short story collections.
9/16 Some classes are finalizing memoirs, some tested on plot and short stories. Students are reading short stories. Some classes are starting Max the Mighty next week.
9/23 We are continuing to analyze plot in various literature selections. Some students are working on finishing essays.
  • After the analysis of nine weeks tests and grades, how will you address student strengths and weaknesses?
8/26 N/A
9/2 N/A
9/9 Interim grade analysis: Some students are not turning work in or turning it in late. Some are having trouble adjusting to work load.
9/16 We will be reteaching some items and reviewing missed questions.
9/23 We will continue to reinforce literary elements previously taught and tested throughout the year.
  • How have you used your student’s scores (PASS, MAP, formative/summative assessments, grade distribution sheets) to differentiate instruction?
8/26 We have analyzed PASS data to determine levels.
9/2 We are analyzing PASS data to form writing groups.
9/9 Some students seem to have been placed in wrong classes
9/16 Taking MAP next week. Students will view old score to set a goal.
9/23 We will have recent MAP scores to analyze and form groups soon because we just finished MAP testing.
  • Where did this week’s learning goals fall within Bloom’s Taxonomy?
8/26 All levels: They are creating as they compose their poems. They are analyzing the story for elements of plot.
9/2 Composing a narrative falls into the "Creating" level. Students analysis of texts falls into the "analysis" level.
9/9 Level 6: Composing Essays, Level 4: Analyzing parts of the plot, Level 5: Peer Conferencing, Level 6: Creating Glogster
9/16 Level 6: Composing Biographies (Whis), Composing Memoirs (Sumter), Glogster page (Shelley) Level 4: Plot lines for stories
9/23 Level 4, Level 2, Level 6
  • In looking at your last assessment (formative/summative), identify the level of Bloom’s utilized within the assessment.
8/26 N/A
9/2 Students had to "apply" their knowledge of imagery to compose better sentences on the Writing Quiz. Students "analyzed" the elements of plot in the short stories.
9/9 Vocab Tests: Level II: Which word would fit into this sentence, Level I: Remembering Definition
9/16 Level IV: Analyzing plot of stories, Level II: Vocab Tests
9/23 Level 1 and 2 (Stems and vocab tests) MAP testing, Level 3 (Story test)
  • Comments ~ Concerns ~ Needs (resources)
8/26 We are going to be composing a letter to the Honors parents regarding purchasing their novels.
9/2 We are concerned about meeting the individual needs of our students, especially the needs of our lower level students, in such large classes.
9/16: Could we do POVs once a month instead of each week? We are feeling that it would be more benificial and a better use of our planning time to actually be able to discuss our activities and plans for the next week. We feel these questions would be great as a reflection at the end of each month.
9/23: Same as last week.

Teachers in attendance:8/26 Donny, Sumter, Whisenant, Shelley9/2 Sumter, Whisenant, Whetstone9/9 Sumter, Whisenant, Shelley, Whetstone, Carter9/16 Sumter, Whisenant, Shelley, Whetstone9/23 Sumter, Whisenant, Shelley